Base-ball game-board.



. 1.1 HAMMER- BASE BALL GAME BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.29| 1918.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

" UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

' WILBUIB. J. HAMMER, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

BASE-BALL GAME-BOARD.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILBUR J. HAMMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Mlssouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Base-Ball' ames of chance and-it is the principal object ofthe invention to provide a novel, amusing and interesting base ball playing game board wherein the runs, hits, outs, strikes, etc., are determined by the course assumed by the playing pieces and the compartments provided on said board into which said playing pieces move. l

Another object of the invention is to provide the game board with a novel from of compartment for receiving the playing pieces when not in use and preventing their loss; also, a form of scoring or tally board whereby the progress of the game and the runs scored, the strikes, balls, etc., can be accurately followed.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The improvements in the details and arrangement of parts will be apparent from an inspection of the accompanying drawings when considered in connection with the specic description hereinafter contained and-wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown for the purpose of imparting a full understanding thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is top plan view of the improved game board,

Fig. @is an end elevation thereof,

Fi 3 is a fragmentary detail in perspective howing the form of leg employed for supporting the board in an inclined position to facilitate the playing of the game,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail in section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

I-Iaving more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like reference characters will designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 represents the body portion of the improved game board, one portion of which is tapered as at '2 while certain of the marginal portions thereof' are provided with sides 3, the purpose of which will be hereinafter apparent. The remaining end of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 19,19.

Application led October 29. 1918. Serial No. 260.167.

body portion 1 has portions thereof inclined as at 4 and formed with an opening, which opening is normally closed by a pivoted gate 5, thus forming a compartment for receiving the spherical game playing pieces 6 when they are not in use and in consequence, preventing their loss.

A plurality of strips are arranged in the body portion 1 and as will be noted, have certain of their ends disposed in different directions as indicated by the numeral 7 thus forming ways, the rear portions of which are arranged adjacent the compartment formed in the opposite end of the game board and forms pockets for receiving the spherical game playing pieces 6 whereby to permit the playing of the game by referring to the descriptions alining therewith and arranged on the upper marginal portion of a transversely disposed movable stop 8 arranged between the game playing piece receiving compartment and the ends of the strips forming the pockets which I will designate for the purpose of convenience b v the numeral 9.

Snuglyl arranged in a portion of the body portion 1 of the game board and resting on portions of the strips 7 and 9 is a plate 10 having a plurality of abutments or stops arranged in its upper face in staggered relation, these abutments being indicated by the numeral 11.l A pluralityT of openings 12 are also formed at various places in the plate 10 for a purpose which will be subsequently described, and have various inscriptions arranged thereabout such as Out second base,r Out first base, Out third base, Foul out, Out foul, etc. To prevent shifting of the plate longitudintly of the body portion, I may and preferably do extend the exposed portions of the strip 9 upwardly with respect to the adjacent marlofinal edge of said plate, thus providing effectual stops or shoulders therefor.

Engaged over the tapered end of the body portion 1 of the game board and arranged in spaced relation to the adjacent portion of the plate 10 is an apertured playing piece receiving plate 13, through which the spherical playing pieces 6 are dropped onto the plate 10.

Secured to the upper side of the rear portion of the body portion 1, particularly, that portion thereof forming the game playing piece receiving compartment is a form of tally board or score board 14:, said board having a plurality of groups of apertures 15 formed therein, certain of these groups of apertures being identified by the term balls, while others are identified by the term innings, and other by the term strikes, etc., whereby the various features or plays of the game can be accurately reported by the persons engaged iu the playing thereof. Further, to permit the ascertaining of the particular portions of the inningsbeing played, another of these groups is identified by innings first half l and second half, while others of the apertures are identified by the term i base men and have the terms first base, second base and home arranged adjacent thereto, whereby the positions of the nien of the Yopposing sides at the bat can be accurately followed by a player. Counters in form of pins having looped ends 1G are employed and as will be understood are adapted to be engaged in the various groups of apertures formed in the tally or score board 14e.

To support the game board in an inclined position whereby to cause the movement of the spherical playing pieces G downwardly over the plate 10 when dropped thereonto through the apertured plate 13 there is hinged to the under side of the tapered end 2 of the body portion a leg 17 formed of a length of wire or similar material having a loop 18 formed in its base portion which loop is adapted to be engaged by the hooked end of a bracing or stay arm 19 pivoted to a portion of the underside of the body portion as at 20; a keeper or hooked arm .21 being also arranged on ,the under side of the body portion 1 to receive said bracing or stay arm 19 when in its folded or inoperative position.

ln playing the game, the body portion of the board is of course arranged in an inclined position whereupon the spherical playing pieces 6, any number of which may be employed, are dropped through the opening in the plate 13 onto the plate 10 having the stops 11 arranged thereon. Movement of the playing pieces downwardly over the surface of the plate 10 will of course be varied due to their engagement with the abutments or stops 11 whereupon they will finally drop into certain of the pockets formed by the strips 9. As an illustration, should one of the playing pieces 6 drop into the pocket having l-l. R. alining therewith, then it indicates that the player is entitled to a home run, which run can be recorded on the tally hoard by arranging one of the counters 16 in the aperture having the numeral 1 arranged adjacent the same in the groups of apertures indicated or identified by the term runs. Should another of the playing pieces diop into the pocket alining with the abbreviation 2B then it indicates that the player is entitled to a two-base hit, whereupon a counter is placed in the rasse aperture identified by the abbreviation 2nd designating second base in the basemen group of apertures. 0f course, as the particular player is advanced about the bases his position is accordingly noted in the group of base men7 apertures until he ar? advancement of a counter 16 in the apertures of the innningsi group. During movement of the spherical playing pieces 6 over the plate 10 should they pass through any one of the openings 12, then this particular feat is affected by the inscription arranged about such opening. For instance, should the piece drop through the opening having the term c"1st Base @ut arranged adjacent thereto, then the player would of course be considered as having been put out at the first base. However, as the piece drops onto the bottom of the body portion 1 it will enter one of the ways formed by the strips 'i' and 9 and upon continuing its movement will pass into the pockets formed between said strips 9. Should the piece enter the pocket alining with the abbreviation B this indicafes that the player supposedly at the bat has received one ball, or if the piece should move into the pocket alining with the term out,7 then a second 'out would be registered against the particular player at the hat. ln this way, the advancement of the game will be expedited and yet will be interesting to each participant. As an illustration, the playing piece dropping through the opening 12 identiiied by 1st base out would enter the way leading to the pocket designated @-1 and when arriving in such pocket would indicate to the player that the man at the plate following the man previously put out at first base would have received one strike. ln this way, the game will be advanced in a manner to keep the players interest at maximum.

lvianifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modificationl and such modification as is within the scope of my claims, l consider within the spirit of my invention.

l claim:

1. A game board of the character described including a body portion, a plate arranged on the body portion, a series of pockets in said body portion communicating with one end of said plate, a compartment for receiving playing pieces when not in use adjacent said pockets, and a transversely disposed movable stop arranged between said pockets and said compartment.

2, n, game board of the character described As the various innings areincluding a body portion having sides arranged about Certain of its marginal portions, strips forming irregular ways arranged in said body portion and terminating in a series of pockets adjacent one end of the body portion, a compartment for receiving playing pieces when not in use adjacent said pockets, a plate arranged over a portion of the body portion resting on adjacent portions of said strips and communicating with said pockets, a plurality of abutments arranged on the upper side of said plate in staggered relation, and a transversely disposed movable stop arranged between said pockets and said compartment.

A game board of the character described including a body portion, a plate arranged on the body portion having abutments on its upper side arranged in staggered relation, a series of pockets in said body portion communicating with one end of said plate, a compartment for retaining playing pieces when not in use adjacent said pockets, a transversely disposed movable stop positioned between said pockets and said compartment, and a tally board arranged adj acent one end of the body portion.

4. A game board of the character described including a body portion having one end thereof tapered and certain of its marginal portions formed with upright sides, a plurality of irregular strips arranged in said body portion to form a plurality of ways, the extremities of which form a series of pockets, a compartment communicating with said y pockets, a transversely disposed stop movably arranged between said pockets and saidy compartment, a plate snugly engaged in a portion of said body portion and arranged on portion of said strips, abutments a1'- ranged on the upper side of said plate in staggered relation, an apertured plate arranged over the tapered end of said body portion in spaced relation to said irst plate, f

and a tally board arranged adjacent the opposite end of the body portion.

lsaid pockets, a transversely disposed stop movably arranged between said pockets and said compartment, a plate snugly engaged in a portion of said body portion and arranged on portions of said strips, -abutments arranged on the upper side of said plate in staggered relation, an apertured plate arranged over the tapered end of said body portion in spaced relation to said first plate, a tally board arranged adjacent the opposite end of the body portion, and a leg pivoted toy the tapered end of the body portion for maintaining the same inan inclined position.

In testimony whereofyI aiX my signature hereto.

' WILBUR J. HAMMER. 

